4 questions you should ask any - kpinterface, inc.to use it for every site you log in to. this is a...
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Aligning Technology with Business - www.kpinterface.com - (484) 680-7766 - 1
As businesses have become ever more
dependent on technology, IT services
providers have been popping up left and
right. They’ve all got different strengths,
capabilities and price points to consider.
Some charge you by the hour and, while
available to address any concerns you
may have, they are pretty hands-off.
Others are working on your network
around the clock but charge more in turn.
Many may boast an impressive record
when working with a broad range of
companies, but lack the experience
necessary to understand the ins and outs
of your specific industry. Some cost way
too much month-to-month, while others
try the “bargain bin” approach, but as a
result, can’t afford to field the staff
needed to respond to issues in a timely
fashion.
There’s certainly a lot to consider when
looking for an IT services provider for
your business. And if you’re not
particularly knowledgeable about
information technology yourself, it can
sometimes feel like you’re going into the
process blind.
To suss out whether an IT company will
mesh with your business’s workflow and
industry-specific requirements, it’s
important to vet them thoroughly. The
key is to ask the right questions. Here are
four that will allow you to zero in on any
IT company’s priorities and strengths,
and help you determine whether they’re
a good fit for your organization.
1. DO YOU TAKE A PROACTIVE
OR ‘BREAK-FIX’ APPROACH TO IT?
When your car breaks down, you take it
to the shop and you get it fixed. The
Reminders
Microsoft End of Support:
SQL Server 2008: July 9, 2019 Windows 7: January 14, 2020 Server 2008: January 14, 2020 Exchange Server: January 14, 2020 Office 2010: October 13, 2020
What this means: When a Microsoft application reaches End of Support, Microsoft will no longer provide support on the product or provide critical security patches. Hackers will take advantage of these security holes.
What to do: Don’t wait! Meet with your vCIO soon to conduct a full review of your systems. We will help you make a strategic plan going forward to ensure your systems are up-to-date/upgraded. Email: [email protected]
September 2018
4 Questions You Should Ask Any
IT “Expert” Before Letting Them
Touch Your Network
Continued on pg.2
KPInterface strives to be the premier provider of outsourced IT consulting and services in the greater Philadelphia market offering
professional guidance, expert knowledge, and the best customer experience possible so that our clients can leverage technology in the most effective way possible.
Technology Times September 2018
Aligning Technology with Business - www.kpinterface.com - (484) 680-7766 - 2
mechanic charges you for the work done and for the parts, and
then sends you on your way. Many business owners consider
their computer network to be the same kind of deal. Why not
just wait until an outage happens and then call up somebody
who charges by the hour to fix it? That way, they imagine, they
won’t be paying for “extra” services they think they
don’t need.
But unfortunately, unlike your car, when your network is out,
you’re losing dollars every single minute. The cost of a network
outage is difficult to overstate – not only will it bring your
business to its knees while it’s out, but it’ll frustrate customers
and employees and result in a cascading set of problems.
Instead of a “break-fix” technician on hand, you need a
managed IT services provider. These experts work directly with
your company to optimize your network and its security at
every turn, and are available nearly any time to address your
concerns. And they’re genuinely invested in providing the best
service possible, since it’s in their best interest as well.
2. WHAT IS YOUR GUARANTEED RESPONSE TIME?
We’ve all needed something fixed before and had to wait for
hours, days or even weeks before anyone bothered to come by
and
solve the problem. Don’t let that happen to your business. If a
company can’t guarantee a response time, it’s probably not a
company you want to be working with.
3. WHAT WILL COST ME EXTRA?
This question is particularly important if you’re looking at a
managed services provider (which you should be). The last
thing you need is for a crisis to strike, only to discover you
need to shell out a bunch of surcharges to get your network
back up and running. Make sure the costs and services
included are crystal clear before you sign anything.
4. HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE?
As scrappy as the “new kid on the block” may be, you don’t
want them in charge of one of the most important aspects of
your business. Make sure any IT professionals you do
business with have extensive experience not only in IT, but in
your particular industry as well. That way they’ll know
exactly what to do to optimize processes and keep your data
under lock and key.
“a network outage [will] bring
your business to its knees
while it’s out ... it’ll frustrate
customers and employees and
result in a cascading set of
Continued from pg.1
FREE Phishing Email Campaign At no cost or obligation, KPInterface will conduct a test phishing email campaign to users in your company. The phishing test will attempt to persuade your users to click on a link within the email.
If a user does click this link, they will be taken to a page letting them know that this was a phishing test, and they did not pass. The page also speaks a bit about what a phishing attack is, and how to avoid this scam.
KPInterface will then send you a final report of which users failed, and will review additional training we can offer to help prevent your company from falling victim to this scam and other security threats.
Simply call us at 484-680-7766 and mention this offer.
Technology Times September 2018
Aligning Technology with Business - www.kpinterface.com - (484) 680-7766 - 3
Relationships are powerful. They help you differentiate your product or service, create brand loyalty, and set you apart from your competitors who are not willing to invest in building relationships.
Any savvy company will encourage its employees to build better relationships with customers. I myself teach the basics of relationship building in business, and have written about the process in my books, particularly The Fred Factor.
But you don’t always have time to build a lasting relationship. Sometimes dealing with customers or clients only takes a few minutes and you have little to no contact with them later on. You don’t have the time to build a “relationship,” nor should you try.
But neither should you interact passively.
There is something between a transaction and a relationship that will benefit both the customer and your business. The goal is to create a connection, which I define as a moment of shared affinity.
At a hotel in Miami, a bellhop who came to pick up a dry-cleaning order noticed I was wearing a Harley-Davidson T-shirt. “Do you ride?” he
asked. That started a brief conversation about our shared interest in motorcycles. I saw him several times throughout my stay and felt a connection based on that brief exchange. We weren’t friends by any definition, but the connection was still a positive part of my stay.
Transactions can be straightforward, but they often feel sterile. Looking for shared interests, indulging in appropriate humor, or simply noticing and commenting on another person is all it takes to add texture to the interaction and turn it into a genuine connection.
But how do you make these connections stronger?
1. Pay attention. Notice more about the person with whom you’re interacting.
2. Look for similarities and points of contact.
3. Comment on what you find interesting.
4. Compliment on what you find praiseworthy.
Connecting in this way makes you more human and makes your business less sterile. Connecting with another person, even briefly, is always superior to simply completing a transaction.
The Power Of Connection
Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE, is the president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an “idea studio” that
seeks to motivate and develop leaders in and outside of business. He’s the best-selling author of the
books Fred Factor and The Potential Principle and a noted expert on leadership, team building,
customer service and company change. He holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation
from the National Speakers Association and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. Check out
any of his excellent books; his video series, “Team Building: How to Motivate and Manage
People”; or his website, marksanborn.com, to learn more.
Shiny New Gadget Of
The Month:
Is This The Best Bag
For Frequent Flyers?
If you’re constantly travelling around
the country for business, you need a
piece of luggage that’s essentially
indestructible, and hopefully one that
you can carry on any flight you need,
saving on costs and precious minutes
wasted at the luggage turnstile.
Luckily, with the Victorinox Lexicon
Hardside Frequent Flyer 8-Wheel bag,
you may have a contender that checks
all your boxes. With a sleek, ergonomic,
compact design, it offers plenty of
volume without being bulky, along
with a slick eight-wheel design that
makes scooting around the ticket lines
easier than ever. And for those of us
living in the 21st century, there’s a
dedicated pocket for a battery pack,
enabling you to attach a USB charging
cord directly to your bag for when you
need a little extra juice.
Client Spotlight: McCarthy & Company, PC McCarthy & Company, PC., a relatively new client of KPI, is a first-rate CPA practice with offices in Lafayette Hill, PA, Philadelphia, PA and Beachwood, NJ. The McCarthy & Company CPA’s provide a broad array of accounting, audit, CFO and other financial expertise to business and personal clients. While they have an extensive amount of experience with the construction industry, they also have the experience to provide services to many other types of industries, including medical, non-profit, and municipalities, to name a few. Since engaging KPI, McCarthy has improved its business efficiency, stability and security via the migration to a new server infrastructure, the implementation of a new email security and continuity solution, and the procurement of dual Internet connectivity.
Technology Times September 2018
Why It’s So Dangerous To Use The Same Password For All Your Online Accounts A complex password is a necessity in the age of cyberthreats, data breaches, and other security incidents. When you’ve landed on what you think is the perfect, complicated, yet easy-to remember password, it’s tempting to use it for every site you log in to. This is a shockingly common — and very dangerous — mistake. When an online retailer or website gets hacked, oftentimes all you hear about in the news is how many credit card numbers were lost or the scope of the financial damage. You rarely hear about the thousands of user accounts that were compromised. But they’re there!
If yours is among those compromised accounts, it’s possible that your username and password are published and available to anybody who wants to look at it on the Internet. A clever crook knows that you probably use the same password on the compromised website as you do on your eBay, Amazon or other online accounts tied to your bank account. So, they try it out and, lo and behold, now they have access to your bank account. It’s possible to keep the password madness under control. Ask us for tips for having unique but memorable passwords. You might be surprised by how easy it really is.
Aligning Technology with Business - www.kpinterface.com - (484) 680-7766 - 4
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
4 Questions You Should Ask Any IT “Expert” Before Letting Them Touch Your Network / 1
Free OFFER HERE / 2
The Power Of Connection / 3
Candy and Cal’s Cyber Tip of the Month:
Do your research on most
common cyberthreats. Make sure your employees are
aware of phishing strategies and don’t fall
victim to a phishing attempt!
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